Annual Report 2024
Core Values
Christ-Centered
Biblically Based
Our education is based on the Bible, using Scripture to guide morals, decisions, and character development. Academics, behavior, and spiritual growth are shaped by biblical principles, aligning the school’s mission and curriculum to scripture.
Academically Excellent
We take a Christ-centered approach in everything we do, from our teaching to our values to our daily activities. It shapes how we teach, interact with, and guide students, ensuring faith in Christ influences the school’s culture, curriculum, and community. 1 2 3 4
We focus on strong educational standards in a well-rounded program. This ensures students are challenged, develop the critical thinking skills needed in 2024, and achieve strong academic results, preparing them for future success, all while maintaining a Christ-centered approach.
Service-Driven
We believe the outcome of a Biblical worldview and rigorous academic experience is leading and serving others. Through hands-on experiences, students are given opportunities to serve those in their community and around the world.
Letter from the Head of School
The excitement I felt going into this school year is hard to put into words—there’s just something different in the air. A lot is happening, but the biggest milestone is the reopening of the high school, a project that began back in the spring of 2022. With a renewed belief that our mission statement could only be accomplished by allowing our students to stay at JICS throughout their entire school journey, we stepped out in faith that God would provide both the students and the space. But this year is about more than a new grade or the new building that is coming– It is about a renewed sense of family.
The family feel is part of what sets JICS apart from other schools. I have already seen it happening this year as our community rallied around a family who experienced a tragic loss, after I fell on the first day of school, through mission activities, and more. Not only are our students friends, but our parents are getting to know each other and doing life together. These
relationships only help make our school stronger. It is through these relationships that deep conversations begin, prayers are exchanged, and our students grow. We are family.
The other characteristic that is unique to JICS is our commitment to instilling a Biblical worldview into everything we do. The worldview is evident in every class, club, and activity. It is the root of why we do what we do. We want our students to make their relationship with Christ personal and applicable.
I may not know everything this year holds, but I am confident it will be filled with answers to prayers, exciting growth, and moments that will go down in history. I cannot wait!
Blessings,
Cindy Hunter Head of School
JICS At A Glance
As a private Christian school, JICS is committed to delivering a Christ-centered education that fosters critical thinking and cultivates a Christian worldview, empowering students to lead themselves, their families, their churches, and their communities after graduation.
Believing that today’s youth are the leaders of tomorrow, we focus all our efforts on our mission to provide a biblically-based curriculum that is both academically strong and designed to support the teachings of the home and the church.
• JICS first opened in 1994
• 100% of teachers are certified
• 30+ different churches represented in the student body
• 10 JV/Varsity Sports offerings
• 94% of rising 9th graders met or exceeded growth expectations on the MAP test
• 3 overnight trips in 9th grade
• Students come from 21 different zip codes
• Breaking ground on new 14,000 square foot building in early 2025
Admissions
Our family is so grateful for the Christ focused influence and education our children enjoy at JICS. They are personally known and poured into spirit-led teachings through all their subjects. We can truly say that our time at JICS has thoroughly enriched our children.”
KIMBERLY TRAYNOR-DAVIS
Financial Snapshot
*Does not include donations to the Building Up Fund
Lower School K4-2nd
K4
The K4 class alone collected 10 bags of food last Thanksgiving to donate to Feeding the Multitude.
1st Grade
Last Christmas, 1st grade had a goal of collecting 100 pairs of socks and/or gloves for people in need. Their grade far exceeded this goal by bringing in over 300 pairs of socks and gloves.
K5
Any time someone is in need of a card, kindergarten always steps up. They make cards for nursing home residents, fire stations, etc. Any time someone is in need of a card, kindergarten always steps up.
2nd Grade
With the help of their teachers and parent volunteers, 2nd grade made handmade blankets last Christmas to donate to Project Linus.
Lower School Principal
CHRISTEN ANDERSON
James Island Christian School is not just a building, it is a community of families working together to be the hands and feet of Christ and it is a joy to witness.”
KARA REEDY (PARENT AND TEACHER)
Lower School 3rd-5th
3rd Grade
In their science and math curriculum, 3rd-grade students plant a garden, measure space, and track plant needs. They care for the garden, harvest the produce for families in need, and with teacher and parent help, cook a meal for the local fire station delivering it with thank you cards.
4th Grade
Each Christmas, students visit a local nursing home to sing carols.
5th Grade
Fifth-grade girls led a food drive for “Backpack Buddies,” creating posters and collecting donations. They aimed to help 50 students but gathered enough to support over 260.
“Our students are taking an active role in Chapel by helping lead worship, prayer and reading scripture. This has been a wonderful time of students discovering the gifts that God has given them and learning how to use them to honor Christ and reach others with the gospel.”
JICS TEACHER
Middle School
Characteristics of a JICS Upper School Student
• To be firmly grounded in their Christian beliefs, ensuring that students confidently know what they believe and why they believe it.
• To possess strong characteristics of a 21st Century learner including critical thinking, problem solving, and creativity.
• To be well equipped to be leaders in society using their God-given abilities to serve others.
Missions Week - April 7-11, 2025
JICS Missions Week is an exciting opportunity for our students to engage in meaningful service and outreach within our community. During this week, students will participate in various hands-on projects that promote sharing the gospel, teamwork and compassion.
“James Island Christian School has given our children a faithbased education that fosters both academic and spiritual growth. We are confident in the strong academic, moral, and spiritual guidance they receive. JICS provides a supportive environment that encourages them to excel, approach challenges with confidence, and develop critical thinking, creativity, and resilience.”
JENNIFER ALTMAN ANDY WHITLOCK
Upper School
Principal
JICS has been such a blessing to our family. From our very first visit we felt right at home. Gracie was welcomed by the students, administration, and teachers alike. We have seen such tremendous growth in her since the start of school academically, athletically, personally, and spiritually. We chose JICS because we knew that Gracie would be recognized and valued as the wonderful individual that God made her to be. We are so grateful to be a part of the JICS family.”
ASHLEY SPENCER
High School Leadership Academy
The JICS High School Leadership Academy is official opened!
As a founding member of JICC, the ministry of James Island Christian School has been an integral part of our family. When my husband and I moved back to Charleston in 2005, we knew our children would attend JICS. We credit our children’s success to a firm foundation rooted in Christ and the academic excellence provided at JICS. The team at JICS is like family.”
JENNY HONEYCUTT (PARENT)
Leadership Academy
In partnership with Student Leadership University, JICS High School Leadership Academy is built around the concept of developing leaders in the home, community, and church. The leadership academy follows an 8-semester leadership-based curriculum designed to develop Biblically trained leaders through reading, mentoring, and conferences.
INFLUENCE: Discover the truth about leadership, the role of theology in a leader’s life, what it takes to have impactful influence, and how to live and lead to one’s full potential.
MENTORSHIP: Develop as learners who lead and discover the true potential of their influence when they lead from a Christ-centered approach.
TIME: Provides students with an understanding of the importance of time management and the redemptive nature of time.
RELATIONSHIPS: Learn to build strong, lasting relationships with a Biblical foundation at their core.
MOTIVATION: Recognize the importance of developing a life that is rightly motivated, rightly focused, and full of obedience to Christ.
ENGAGEMENT: Learn to effectively engage the culture for Christ through serving people and solving problems.
CALLING: Understand that God calls and equips us to fulfill the callings He has for us.
DREAMING: Re-imagine what the world might look like if you lived as God intended.
9 TH GRADE ORLANDO
Foundations of Leadership
10 TH GRADE WASHINGTON, D.C. Grapple with the intersection of theology and culture.
11 TH GRADE EUROPE
Understand church history and its impact on today’s church.
12 TH GRADE
Follow the life of Christ from Bethlehem to Calvary.
FLORIDA
ISRAEL
Athletics
2024-2025 sports offerings
• Cross Country 6th - 9th grade
• JV Volleyball 7th-9th grade
• B Team Volleyball (2 teams) 5th-6th grade
• Girls JV Basketball 7th-9th grade
• Boys JV Basketball 7th-9th grade
• Girls B Team Basketball 4th-6th grade
• Boys B Team Basketball (2 teams) 4th-6th grade
• Archery 4th-9th grade
• Sporting Clay 5th-9th grade
• JV Tennis 6th-9th grade
• B Team tennis (5 teams in 2024) K5 - 5th grade
• JV Soccer 7th - 9th grade
• B Team Soccer 5th-6th grade
• Golf 6th - 9th grade
• Track and Field 6th-9th grade
2023-2024 Season Awards
Volleyball Division (8th Grade) Champs
Volleyball Tournament Champs (8th Grade)
SR Girls Basketball
Division Runner-up
Soccer Division Runner-up
Building Up: Equipping Future Generations
We’re Growing
Starting in 2019, JICS saw significant and swift expansion. By the conclusion of the 2023-24 academic year, the number of students in grades K5-8 surged dramatically. Believing that today’s youth are the leaders of tomorrow, JICS is committed to cultivating a Christian worldview with the addition of the JICS High School Leadership Academy. The Building Up Capital Campaign will raise the money needed to meet escalating growth demands across the James Island Christian campus with a new building slated to break ground early 2025.
Size and Structure
The building will have a total area of 14,000 square feet.
It is a two-story addition that will be connected to the front of the existing gym.
Facilities and Spaces
A Science Room for educational purposes
A Weight Room for fitness and physical education
Assembly Space and a Leadership Forum for instruction and events
11 additional classrooms to expand learning opportunities
Campus Connectivity
A covered outdoor walkway will interconnect all James Island Christian campus buildings.
Accessibility
The new structure will be fully ADAcompliant, ensuring accessibility for all individuals.
An elevator will be included in the design to provide access to all floors.
Our Financial Goals
2-2-2
M M M
already committed from JICC will be borrowed from JICS ($1M already raised)
As of third quarter 2024, over $2,500,000 has been raised towards the $6 million goal. Let’s join hands, school and business community, we need everyone on board!
Your Role in Equipping Future Generations
We invite you to partner with us.
We need your support to raise the needed funds to expand our campus to continue equipping future generations of Christian leaders. Choose a way you would like to partner with us:
1. Pray how you might impact the next generation of leaders.
2. Give a campaign or legacy gift over and above your current giving.
3. Share the Building Up vision with your friends, family and coworkers.
To give or participate, contact the Director of Development at (843) 795-1762 or by email at gclay@jics.org.
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me. Bless his holy name.”
Psalm 103:1
2024-2025 VERSE OF THE YEAR